Herbert h



H. H. Dow. COKING PROCESS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 121 |9 I 8.

Patented Nov. 14, 192.

Patented Nov. 14, 1522.

1,435,2lll

UNITED STATES PATEN'l` HERBELLT I'I. DOW", OF MIDLAND, l'alIGHlG-Ahl, TO THE DOV CHEMGL COMPANY, OF MIDLAN, IvHGAl, A GORPRATIN EUHIGAF.

GOKINGA ROCESS.

Application filed September To all whom it may concer/'1:

.Be it known that l, llnnenirr H. Dow, a citizen of the United States, and a. resident oit' Midland, county ol lllidland, and State oi; lllichigan, have invented a new and use'iul `lmprovement in Cokino Frocesses, olf which the following is a specification, the principle ot the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which l have contemplate( applying that principle, so as to distinguish it lrom other inventions.

The present improvements have more particular regard to a method ol treating coal in a generator, in which the material is being constantljy'f agitated or turned over. A further stage oi the process gives producer gas, by continuing such operation, while air and steam are supplied to the material being treated. rlhe invention also involves a suitable apparatus for carrying on such process. Thus it consists of the steps and meanshereinatter fully described and particular y pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting :torth in detail certain steps and mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed steps and means constituting, however, but one oi the various ways in which the principle olf" the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing Fig. l is a central vertical section through a generator embodying my present improve ments and adapted to carry out my improved process; F 2 is a transverse section of a detail taken on the plane indicated by the line ca -2, Fig. l; and Fig. is a similar section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3MB, F ig. l.

is shown in the aforesaid drawing, my improved generator consists in ellleet of a large tumbling barrel 1 which is preferably, lor the sake of strength and other reasons, given the spherical form shown in Fig. l. Such barrel is mounted to rotate about an in clined axis ca -a, preferably an axis inclined at an angle of about forty-five degrees. 'I o this end the shell is provided with a solid trunnion 3 extending downwardly, and a hollow trunnion 2 upwardly which are journaled in suitable bearings (not shown) disposed on an axis as stated. Such upper trunnion will also be provided with connections such as shown for instance in my Patent No. 957,314 or No. 961,216, whereby gases may be withdrawn from the interior olE the general2, 19118. Serial No. 253,710.

tor. rlhe latter is lined with acid refractory material, or example silica', preferably in the form of briclr 4l, air'l is provided with a, suitable manhole 5 having a detachable cover 6 through which the material to be treated may be supplied to its interior. 'llo relieve the trunnions or a, portion oit the load, a roller l or plurality olf rollers cooperating with a band or rail 8 on the exterior oi the shell may be utilized, as may be readily understood.

ln addition to the provision made as just described tor withdrawing gases from the interior ol? the generator, through the hollow trunnion 2, means are also provided for optionally introducing steam or air into the mass or material in the generator, such means consisting oi a plurality olf holes 9 through the shell and lining oi' the retort adjacoat the other trunnion El. comniutating` ring l() surrounding such trunnion normally seals these openings, with the exception of the lowerniost three v(or smaller or larger number if desired), with which a passage ll in such ring communicates. This passaoe is in turn connected with a supply either or air or steam, as will be readily understood, Vwhereby the one or the other may be injecter4 into the bottom oit the mass otA materia-l in the generator.

Assuming the generator to be used as a retort, proper, the operation can be reaoily indicated. The interior will be maintained at all times approximately halt toll of eolie in more or less ignited or else incan descent condition. Upon the at 'lion olf h coal and the slow rotation or the gener tor, all the volatile products olf such. coal '\viil" be driven on", as in a regular colring process. vWhen the temperature then subsides a` little, air or steam is admitted, with the result that producer gas is formed, which is switched into a suitable container ior use as desired. After this operation has progressed liar enough, a-

portion or' the coke is dumped, more coal added, and the sequence of steps repeated as bei'ore,

My improved generator, it will hence be seen, may be operated as a lay-product cole ing proposition, practically the ifull proportion or benzol and other volatile hydrocarbons being recovered. Following the elimination 'et these valuable constituents the re-A tort is then continued in operation as a producer apparatus, the surplus coke which CII is withdrawn from time to time being ot an excellent quality, although somewhat ground up as a result oie the rotation of' the gen erator.

The process or method involved in the operation of my improved generator may he more specifically `restated as follows, viz. zlissuming, at the start, that the generator is partially illcd with coke at a relatively high temperature i. e., one at which said coke is incandescent and the walls of the generator also heated to a high vcorresponding` temperature, the generator is so rotated 'that the opening on the upper part and a charge ol' coal is introduced, the amount introduced being materially less than the ai'uount ot incandescent coke already in the generator. Gas is inunediately given oil in a manner similar to that where coal is shoveled into a stationary retort. The door is then closed and 'the generator is slowly rotated whereby a more or less intimate mixture of 'the incandescent coke and coal is produced and the various parts of the hot wall of the generator are successively brought in Contact with the coal and coke mixture. lWhen the evoliltion ont gas is no longer sufficient to warrant further agitation, steam (or steam and air mixed) is blown intothe generator and an ordinary water gas or producer gas is formed. The temperature of the interior is then at a minimum and a certain. percentage oll the charge is removed and either utilized in an ordinary lgas producer or in such other way as may he desired. i is then brought up to the maximum temperature by blowing,` air. The cycle is then repeated.

Through such operation may result the production of three types of coal gas. The first of the latter is the kind of gas that is given oil when the generator contains a fresh charge of coal, the generator being The relatively cold chargel Niemals heated it necessary, and it consists of the volatile constituents of the coal and is made up of a considerable proportion of aromatic hydrocarbons. The second gas produced is 'water gas similar to that produced in artilicial gas plants when incandescent coke or anthracite coal is blown with steam; while the third thus produced is similar to ordinary inoducer gas where steam is not `l'lsed. rlfhis last gas is of low calorilic value and is relatively high in nitrogen.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead oit the one explained, change being made as re- ;gfards the steps herein disclosed, provided those stated by any one oil the following claims or their equivalents be employed.

l there'tore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention l. ln a method of treatingcoal and like material in a generator, the steps which consist in first heating` the saine to drive oil the larger portion of the more readily volatilized constituents contained therein, blowing steam througijh such material to form water gas and incidentally cool the material, removing' a portion of the partially cooled coke, admitting air to form producer ,cas and raise the temperature of the material, and 'then adding' a fresh charge of material.

ln a method of treating coal and like material in a generator, the steps which consist in mechanically mixing' a fresh charge ot such material with a charge previously i heated to a hi ah temperature, thereby driving oil-f the larger portion of the volatile conshtuents of such lresh charge, and then passingv steam and air successively throuOh the resultant mixture to form water gas and producer gas therefrom, respectively.

Signed by me, this 24th day of August, 19l8.

HER-BERT H. DOV. 

